Effects of Multidisciplinary Specialized Nursing Care on the Short and Long-term Postoperative Quality of Life in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the effects of multidisciplinary specialized nursing care on the short and long-term postoperative quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer. Methods: This is a randomized controlled trial. In this study, 88 patients with pancreatic cancer who were treated at our hospital between January 2021 and January 2022 were recruited and allocated 1:1 either to receive into routine nursing care (n=44, routine group) or interdisciplinary specialist nursing care (n=44, study group). The outcome measures in both groups included surgery-related indices, short and long-term quality of life, and adverse responses. Results: There were no participants who dropped out of this study due to treatment intolerance, nor were there any additional participants. Patients in the study group had significantly shorter recovery time from gastrointestinal function, bed rest and hospital stay than those in the conventional group (P<0.05). Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in the quality of life between the two groups (P>0.05); 3 months and 1 year after the intervention, the quality of life of patients in the study group was higher than that of patients in the conventional group (P<0.05). The overall incidence of adverse reactions was significantly lower in the study group than in the conventional group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Multidisciplinary specialized nursing care produces an ideal clinical outcome for postoperative patients with pancreatic cancer. It substantially reduces recovery time, boosts short and long-term postoperative quality of life, and diminishes the incidence of adverse reactions in patients. This protocol merits clinical application.